NO Commercial Vehicle Parking is tolerated in the Mason Community Parking District which includes Annandale. The appropriate place to park commercial vehicles is on leased space in an industrial park.

UPDATE: On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the Mason Community Parking District (CPD). The geographical area for this CPD is the entire Mason Magisterial District, which includes Annandale.

A Community Parking District does not allow certain vehicles to be parked on public streets in residential areas. Vehicles that are prohibited include: watercraft, boat trailers, motor homes, camping trailers, commercial vehicles, and any other trailer or semi-trailer, regardless of whether such trailer or semi-trailer is attached to another vehicle.

Vehicles not in compliance are issued a $75 fine, and the vehicle may be towed at owner's expense. Violations should be reported to the Fairfax County Police Dept. at 703-691-2131 or the traffic division directly at 703-280-0500.

ORIGINAL STORY: Commercial Vehicles Continue to Plague AnnandaleTime to Send the Message: Annandale is NOT a Dumping Ground for Commercial Vehicles

By: M. Callahan

Large commercial vehicles have become permanent fixtures on Daniels Avenue, Poplar Street, and many other streets in commercially zoned areas within Annandale’s Central Business District. These vehicles are not doing business with any Annandale establishment, but belong to individuals who may live in Annandale, but do not lease commercial space on which to properly park them. Often the vehicles are owned by companies not even registered in Virginia.

Consequently, businesses and organizations such as the American Legion Post 1976, and the Knights of Columbus must endure the unappealing sight of large dump trucks outside their front door, as well as surrender 3 highly needed parking places to each truck.

Recently, Daniels Avenue was jammed with two dump trucks, two gigantic box trucks (think moving vans) and a flatbed landscaping vehicle at 3:00 PM. These vehicles are parked most days, nights, holidays, and weekends choking the parking opportunities for the customers and members of businesse, and organizations that lease or own properties along these streets. It is infuriating to the businesses and the problem is only getting worse.

The issue was discussed at a meeting of the Annandale Central Business District Planning Committee with representatives from the Mason District Supervisor’s office and the Fairfax County Office of Community Revitalization and Reinvestment. Technically, the vehicles are not violating any current regulation, since the streets are located within commercially zoned areas, and the vehicles are moved often enough so they are not considered abandoned. However, restrictions may be implemented along Daniels Avenue and Poplar Street to prohibit commercial vehicles from parking on those streets at certain times of the day. Strict observation will have to be paid that these vehicles are not then chased onto residential streets. But, before any restrictive parking action could be taken, surveys, public hearings and a vote by the Board of Supervisors would need to take place.

A second, possibly more important reason to restrict large vehicle parking is safety. Drivers are consistently complaining that their visibility is compromised by these trucks when attempting to turn onto the street. The problem is not unusual in Fairfax County. In fact, residents and businesses in Bailey’s Crossroads have registered similar complaints.

Commercial vehicles such as tractor-trailers, cement-mixers, garbage trucks or vehicles used for construction equipment, are prohibited from parking in residential districts, are “subject to a $100 fine for each violation and may be towed at the owner's expense.” The height, length, and weight of the vehicle can also render it illegal to park in residential areas. Commercial vehicles are also prohibited from parking on service roads when, “a service road is adjacent to a residentially zoned area… parking restrictions apply to the side of the service road that is adjacent to the residential area.”

Take a drive to Braddock Mews Court, just off Braddock Road at its intersection with Backlick, or to any side street adjacent to any townhouse development to view examples of commercial abuse of residential areas. Drive down Jayhawk, Heritage, and Ravensworth Road, and see private school buses parked not just between morning and afternoon runs but 24-7, commercial painting vans with ladders four feet high, dump trucks, snow plows, box trucks, flat beds, asphalt sealers, and every other imaginable commercial vehicle.

All these vehicles take-up valuable & scarce residential parking spaces and why? Quite simply: to save the expense of leasing commercial parking. Whether selfish, greedy, or indifferent to those who reside on these streets, firmer parking restrictions, both for residential and commercial streets are needed. It’s time to send a message that Annandale is NOT a dumping ground for commercial vehicles.

The appropriate place to park commercial vehicles is on leased space in an industrial park such as the one off Edsall Road. The other concern is to keep these vehicles off the residential streets. The General Assembly strengthened laws offering protections over residential streets but violations continue to occur. If you have a vehicle to report please contact the non emergency number (703-691-2131) for the Fairfax County police. Without constant complaints & ticketing, commercial vehicles will never play by the rules.

As of June 2015, new rules have been established. No longer can commercial vehicles park on the streets in Mason District which includes Annandale.

Vehicles not in compliance are issued a $75 fine, and the vehicle may be towed at owner's expense. Violations should be reported to the Fairfax County Police Dept. at 703-691-2131 or the traffic division directly at 703-280-0500.